Sunday Igboho’s Proposed Iru-ekun Security Outfit, A Dangerous Red Flag

As the Southwest reels under the suffocating grip of escalating insecurity and a brazen wave of kidnappings, a public affairs analyst, Mr. Kola Adejulo has sounded a note of warning, describing the proposed launch of ‘Iru-Ekun’ a new security outfit birthed by Yoruba nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho as a dangerous red flag that must be urgently nipped in the bud.

​Speaking on the volatile security architecture of the region, Mr. Adejulo lamented that the geopolitical zone has been thrown into a state of perpetual fear.

He noted with deep regret that citizens of the Southwest can no longer sleep with both eyes closed, as the highways and communities have increasingly become hunting grounds for criminal elements.

The analyst ​ pointed to recent violent breaches in the zone as clear indicators that the current security apparatus is severely strained.

​”The recent Orire incident in Oyo State, alongside the violent skirmishes witnessed in Ekiti and Ondo states, are indeed worrisome.They require urgent, decisive political and security actions. It is true that our people are terrified, vulnerable, and are eagerly looking for desperate ways to curb this ugly trend before it degenerates into total chaos.” Adejulo said.

​He hinted that the solution does not lie in the proliferation of independent, factional security groups, arguing that allowing Igboho to float Iru-Ekun would birth future disaster.

Mr.​Adejulo questioned the necessity of a fresh outfit when the region is already populated by numerous local security structures.

​”Amotekun, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), and Agbekoya are all actively in existence.What these groups need is not a new rival on the field, but a centralized command system and a formal mechanism to synergize their operations.

In my opinion, Sunday Igboho’s Iru-Ekun, if allowed to operate, will only trigger territorial clashes among security apparatuses or, worse, witness the birth of a future, uncontrollable militia group.” Adejulo argued.

​Expressing deep reservations about Igboho’s history and personal brand of activism, Adejulo reminded stakeholders of the agitator’s past attempts to fragment the country.

​”Going by antecedents, Sunday Igboho had independently declared a ‘Oodua Nation,’ attempting to carve the Southwest out of Nigeria, and has consistently tailored his agitations toward that radical end.

Furthermore, his personality raises burning questions as to whether he can be safely entrusted with the leadership of a structured security group.”Adejulo maintained.

​The analyst drew attention to global history, noting that state-sanctioned or tolerated militias often evolve into independent monsters.

​”It is a historical fact that most terror groups across the world were originally created under the guise of local security and self-defense. Over time, however, they deviate from their foundational aims to become the new terror. We cannot allow that to happen in the Southwest,” he warned.

​While acknowledging that Sunday Igboho may genuinely have the interests of Yorubaland at heart, Adejulo maintained that patriotism must be guided by institutional order. He agreed that the Southwest requires strong, indigenous security outfits to protect its borders, but insisted that the path forward lies in integration rather than fragmentation.

​”Instead of splintering into numerous smaller cells, which will inevitably lead to operational clashes and counter-productive rivalry, our political leaders must look toward restructuring, merging, and proper coordination. The overall best interest of all and sundry is to have a single, big, proactive, and all-encompassing Southwestern security outfit,” Adejulo concluded.